Count Hannibal

Suddenly Mademoiselle opened her eyes, and saw, three steps below her, a

strange man whose upward way she barred. Behind him came Carlat, and

behind him Bigot, lighting both; and in the confusion of her thoughts as

she rose to her feet the three, all staring at her in a common amazement,

seemed a company. The air entering through the open window beside her

blew the flame of the candle this way and that, and added to the

nightmare character of the scene; for by the shifting light the men

seemed to laugh one moment and scowl the next, and their shadows were now

high and now low on the wall. In truth, they were as much amazed at

coming on her in that place as she at their appearance; but they were

awake, and she newly roused from sleep; and the advantage was with them.

"What is it?" she cried in a panic. "What is it?"

"If Mademoiselle will return to her room?" one of the men said

courteously.

"But--what is it?" She was frightened.

"If Mademoiselle--"

Then she turned without more and went back into the room, and the three

followed, and her woman and Madame Carlat. She stood resting one hand on

the table while Javette with shaking fingers lighted the candles. Then-"Now, Monsieur," she said in a hard voice, "if you will tell me your

business?"

"You do not know me?" The stranger's eyes dwelt kindly and pitifully on

her.

She looked at him steadily, crushing down the fears which knocked at her

heart.

"No," she said. "And yet I think I have seen you."

"You saw me a week last Sunday," the stranger answered sorrowfully. "My

name is La Tribe. I preached that day, Mademoiselle, before the King of

Navarre. I believe that you were there."

For a moment she stared at him in silence, her lips parted. Then she

laughed, a laugh which set the teeth on edge.

"Oh, he is clever!" she cried. "He has the wit of the priests! Or the

devil! But you come too late, Monsieur! You come too late! The bird

has flown."

"Mademoiselle--"

"I tell you the bird has flown!" she repeated vehemently. And her laugh

of joyless triumph rang through the room. "He is clever, but I have

outwitted him! I have--"

She paused and stared about her wildly, struck by the silence; struck too

by something solemn, something pitiful in the faces that were turned on

her. And her lip began to quiver.